Mexican baseball teams to visit SLC in October, test waters of Hispanic interest in sports

Mariachi band plays at the announcement of "Béisbol in Salt Lake," which would take two Mexican baseball teams to Salt Lake City, at the Smith's Ballpark on July 23, 2024. (Courtesy/Larry H. Miller Company)

The Latino community in Utah is all in on the state’s hopes of hosting its own Major League Baseball franchise, some elected officials say. But, while those plans are still in the works, Mexicans in Utah will get to experience the feeling of having a baseball team from home play in Salt Lake City, with a visit from two professional teams from Northwestern Mexico in October.

Los Venados de Mazatlán are scheduled to face Los Charros de Jalisco in two exhibition games at the Smith’s Ballpark, where the Salt Lake Bees are set to play their last season before moving to a new facility in Daybreak. The games are to take place on Oct. 5 and 6, during Hispanic Heritage Month. Both teams play in the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico.

Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, who described herself as “American by choice” and is originally from Mexico, said the event has been in the works for months.

“As Mexican, as a migrant, being able to make this announcement makes me very emotional,” she said in Spanish on Tuesday at a news conference on the stadium’s observation deck, following a mariachi band.

Miller Sports + Entertainment, the sports and entertainment division of the Larry H. Miller Company, is sponsoring the event, called “Béisbol en Salt Lake.” Celebrations will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on Oct 5 with live music and vendors at the ballpark. The opening pitch is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. and will finish with a drone show. The Oct. 6 game will be at 1 p.m. and will feature a post-game concert and a party on the field. Daily ticket prices range between $15 and $25.

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During her remarks, Escamilla recalled a conversation with a Larry H. Miller Company officer about the possibility of bringing an MLB team to Utah, which ignited the process for the showcase and block party.

“I told her the Latino community is going to be extra excited. It’s just who we are, we’re going to be behind the team, like we do with all the other teams in Utah,” Escamilla said. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we actually bring some of their teams and actually showcase them here?”

Nearly half a million Utah residents are Hispanic or Latino, according to 2020 census data from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Mexicans comprise the largest share of Hispanic residents in the state, representing over 66% of the Hispanic population. More than 25% of Utah new residents in the last decade were Hispanic and more than 30% of MLB players are Hispanic, according to the league’s 2023 data

Besides the games, there will be clinics for children with the professional players, Escamilla said. Those details haven’t yet been released.

Eduardo Baca, Consul General of Mexico in Salt Lake City, commended the effort to bring full Mexican teams to the state, arguing that alliances and collaborations are often built through sports. \

“This is a reflection of the growing importance of our Latino community in the United States and particularly in Utah,” he said in Spanish.

“Sports and particularly baseball are more than just games. They are powerful tools that bring people together, transcending borders and cultures,” Baca said. “Baseball, with its deep roots in rich history in multiple countries, exemplifies this very purpose.”

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